February 2017

Agents Unscripted

Contact Center Pipeline Magazine, February 2017
Table of Contents

Feature
Agents Unscripted
By Susan Hash
More contact centers are empowering agents to go off script to deliver personalized, authentic experiences.

Agility Factor
Differentiator Series Part 1: Balancing the Contact Center Brain
By Jay Minnucci
What is it that sets some centers apart from the others? Part 1 of this series examines the impact of right-brain/left-brain decision making.

Association Spotlight
Professional Association for Customer Engagement
A Sponsored Article by PACE
PACE is the only non-profit trade organization dedicated exclusively to the advancement of companies that use an omnichannel approach to engaging their customers.

Customer Experience
Digital Feedback Management: The Next Chapter for Customer Experience
By Brian Koma
Customer experience solutions are no longer tactical nice-to-haves, but rather critical strategic tools.

Economic Development Spotlight
How Will Changes in Minimum Wage Laws Affect Your Contact Center Location Decisions?
By James R. Beatty
A look at the implications and potential budget impacts from minimum wage increases that will take place in 2017 and beyond.

Idiom Insights
The Cold Shoulder of Customer Care
By Kathleen Peterson
If staff are indifferent, hostile or snub consumers, how much worse can a robot be?

Industry Outlook
Dissecting the Customer Experience Management Market
By Dick Bucci
How should we define CXM solutions? Dick Bucci examines the market, the players and solutions categories.

Inside View
Eileen Campbell, Horizon Utilities
By Susan Hash
Leading by example with passion, dedication and lifelong learning.

Leading Thoughts
Are Your Customer Relationships on the Rocks?
By Greg Dakters
Advice for fixing a dysfunctional relationship—before your customer leaves you for someone else.

Performance Matters
Drama: A Top Killer of Agent Satisfaction and Retention
By Eric Berg
Drama is a great when you’re in the theater, but in a contact center, it can be devastating. 5 proven methods to overcome drama in your center.

Solutions Spotlight
FrontLine Group
By Ryan O’Hara and Susan Hash
A Q&A with FrontLine Group—a BPO that brings to its clients customer care processes, standards and strategies that have been refined over the past 96 years.

Special Report
Customer Engagement: The Next Level Issue
By Cynthia Grimm
Recent study findings reveal the impact of customer engagement on business success.

Tech Line
Technology’s Role in the Omnichannel Pursuit
By Brian Hinton
Omnichannel has replaced multichannel as the buzzword used by vendors, analysts and contact centers. The end-state goal has also changed. A look at critical success factors to pursue the elusive omnichannel goal.

The View from the Saddle
Power to the People
By Paul Stockford
In 2017, workforce issues will need to be considered equally with customer service issues.